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March 14, 2012

stolen, sunshine

One time, when my brother was little he broke into our neighbor's house and climbed through a window because he wanted to play and no one was answering the door. Because they weren't home.

Last night Jeff got home late and noticed that the boys' new bikes were missing from the garage. He woke me up to ask where they might be. I had no idea, but remembered closing the garage door around dinnertime. I didn't see or hear anything, and it's behind our house so it would be very unusual for someone to walk all the way back there but anyway. They were gone.

We called the police, at like 1 a.m. because that's what time it was when we discovered the theft and the police work 24/7 and so, we made a report, and hoped maybe they'd turn up? And then we had to tell the boys in the morning.

Carter and I hopped in the car and went to drive around the apartments nearby to see if we saw the bikes lying around. A couple kids from there are known to kind of help themselves to the boys' stuff from time to time, but it never leaves our yard, and we like to share. But the the bikes were kind of "put up" and were so new that our boys hadn't even really had a chance to ride them yet.

I wondered if maybe a couple of those kids came by and took the bikes for a spin and then I shut the garage, not realizing that the bikes were gone, and when they came back to return them maybe they thought we weren't home. And maybe they took the bikes back with them?

I never knew there were so many bicycle racks in the area, but we drove, and there in front of the last set of apartments were the two bikes, side by side.

We're still not sure how they got there and who took them, and if they only "borrowed" them - and if so - why didn't they just leave them outside our garage or in our backyard? But they are kids, and I have a feeling they just weren't thinking at all. Anyway, the bikes are back, and the garage will stay closed. And I'm already composing the ground rules for any kid that comes to play in our yard again. (Last year I had to teach them to not enter our home until we invite them in. Hello I still forget to close the bathroom door sometimes, y'know.) But I'm bummed that I have to be even more watchful now.

I love how gracious you are about the bike deal. I used to leave my door unlocked all the time, figuring if someone came in and stole things they needed the things more than I did. Now, ti feels more like a safety deal with my little family and a big strange world full of hurting folks who make bad choices. So glad you show such grace.